Background
John Bidwell was born in Chautauqua, N.Y., August 5, 1819. He came to California in 1841 with the Bartleson-Bidwell party.
He was employed at Sutter's Fort in Sacramento and purchased Rancho del Arroyo Chico (now the city of Chico) in1849. An agriculturalist
and philanthropist, he was a delegate to the California Constitutional Convention in 1849. He served as State Senator from
1849 to1850 and as California Representative to Congress in 1865/1867. He was a candidate for President in 1892. He died in
Chico, April 4, 1900.